Virtual Desktops, also popularly called cloud desktops, is a pre-configured image of an operating system that runs in a desktop environment that is separated from the physical device to access it. Users access the virtual desktop remotely over a network.
The virtual desktop can run on endpoint devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablets and even desktops that are remote to the physical desktop environment. A Virtual Desktop provider installs the software of the client on the endpoint device through which the users interact with the desktop.
The look and feel of a Virtual Desktop are almost similar to that of a physical workstation. However, in some cases, the user experience is better than physical workstations. This is due to the fact that virtual desktop providers employ powerful resources, which include processors, storage, etc.
The users may or may not be able to save changes in the virtual desktops. Also, they may or may not be able to install applications on the virtual desktop. The users experience their desktop the same way every time they log in, irrespective of the endpoint device they use.
How does a Virtual Desktop work?
As mentioned earlier, a virtual desktop provider basically abstracts the operating system from the computer’s hardware with virtualization software. The abstracted operating system runs on a virtual machine instead of hardware. This virtual machine may be hosted on-premise or maybe over the cloud.
Nowadays, it is common to run virtual machines over the cloud. Gradually organizations are steadily moving towards adapting the virtual desktop concept. As a result, many users can share identical desktops over multiple endpoints in a virtual desktop environment. This is one of the reasons that virtual desktops are also called cloud desktops.
Advantages of a Virtual Desktop
Many advantages of a virtual desktop environment make them a preferred choice by many users. They are:
Flexibility: Virtual desktops have a great advantage for organizations and businesses with a flexible workforce. The Information Technology administrators can easily and quickly assign virtual desktops without the requirement of provisioning costly physical machines to those users who need them for a short period.
Security: One advantage of virtual desktops that is exceptional to physical desktops is due to the security system. Data stored in a virtual desktop is data being stored in the data center and not on any single endpoint machine.
This allows greater security to all the data of an organization. Also, if an endpoint system gets stolen, no one will be able to access the data within.
Management with ease: An Information Technology department can smoothly manage more distant virtual desktops from any central location. Also, organizations can make software updates much faster and easier as all the updates can be done simultaneously instead of by the system.
Cost: As there is less maintenance for virtual desktops compared to physical desktops, organizations end up cost-reducing the maintenance cost.
Computing Power: Thin clients are required for virtual desktops compared to physical desktops. This is because the computing power for the systems comes from an intense data center.
To Conclude Several organizations are moving to a virtual desktop environment. The only reason is virtual desktops, or a cloud desktop is managed centrally. This central positioning eliminates the requirement for updates and application installations on every single machine. Also, the endpoint systems are less powerful as most of the computing takes place in the data center.
Security: One advantage of virtual desktops that is exceptional to physical desktops is due to the security system. Data stored in a virtual desktop is data being stored in the data center and not on any single endpoint machine.
This allows greater security to all the data of an organization. Also, if an endpoint system gets stolen, no one will be able to access the data within.